The new IKEA-Xbox collab is a match made in gaming heaven

With IKEA and Xbox’s Yxstaby collection, gaming isn’t just fun. It’s smart and comfortable, too.

I grew up playing video games. From the first Super Mario Bros. on Nintendo’s Family Computer to the PS2’s Kingdom Hearts (the first game I was obsessed with), Xbox’s Halo, and the Switch’s adorable Animal Crossing and Pokémon Pokopia, a game or two has always marked a particular era in my life.

I’m not a hardcore gamer, but I can spend hours—sometimes as much as six straight—when completely absorbed in sandbox games like Animal Crossing and Pokopia, where the world-building totally consumes me. When I wake from my gaming-induced stupor, an achy body always greets me.

So, when I first heard about the new IKEA-Xbox collaboration, my reaction wasn’t surprise—it was “it’s about time!” The partnership makes absolute sense.

*Yxstaby’s November 4 launch at IKEA Pasay showcased the nine-piece collection through three interactive booths. Photos by Johanna L. Añes-de la Cruz; banner photos from IKEA*

Proper gaming furniture is essential. An ergonomic chair and a height-adjustable desk keep your spine, wrists, and neck properly aligned, warding off the fatigue and strain of long gaming sessions so you can play at your best. Local research backs this up: a De La Salle University study found that a console chair designed around the body measurements of average Filipino male workers improved players’ gaming experience and performance.

The Philippines ranks first globally in video game user penetration, with roughly 96% of internet users playing on some device. So here’s the good news, Filipino gamers: with IKEA and Xbox’s Yxstaby collection, gaming isn’t just fun. It’s smart and comfortable, too.

Thoughtfully designed for gamers

The POST was invited to Yxstaby’s launch on November 4 at IKEA Pasay, where we were given an up-close look at the nine pieces in the collection through three interactive booths, each with its own gaming setup.

What instantly caught my eye was the comfiest-looking couch (P14,999), dressed in what seems to be Xbox’s signature True Green. I sat on it and could easily imagine playing all day, stretched out and sinking in. I’d also love a gaming TV stand on castors (P6,999) of my own, so I could roll our family’s gaming setup from one corner of the room to another with ease.

I wish I could take this couch home.
Photos by Johanna L. Añes-de la Cruz

What I liked most is how thoughtfully the Xbox inspiration is woven into the designs. The Yxstaby cushion (P999), for instance, takes its shape from the controller’s D-pad, and you can use it on its own or place it on the lounge chair for extra support.

The D-pad gets a second life as a platter, too. The 33-cm. platter is made of shiny stainless steel, and its faceted surface catches the light. It’s a fun way to serve up controllers before a gaming session, and a stylish centerpiece if you’re not a gamer.

Yxstaby TV stand in white.
Photos from IKEA

The thumbstick stool (P2,999), which comes in green and black, is even cleverer. It looks like a giant Xbox thumbstick and tilts like one, with a textured surface recreated from the controller’s original design files. It’s playful, but it’s also designed to be comfortable, so you don’t have to choose between style and a good, reliable seat.

The Yxstaby lounge chair (P6,999) may not borrow its looks from the Xbox controller, but it’s sleek and elegant. Its bouncy, cantilevered design was made to support both active and leisurely play, so it moves with you as you lose yourself in the game.

The rest of the collection keeps your gear in order. A rolling side table keeps accessories within reach and doubles as a charging station (P9,999); a felt-lined toolbox (P1,799) protects your cables, and its lid doubles as a laptop stand; and a mirrored display box gives those expensive controllers and collectibles a place of their own (P1,499).

The bold styles of Michael Cinco’s runway ode to Spain

Furniture for every home

In a quick chat with The POST, IKEA Philippines sales leader May Castillo says that IKEA and Xbox designed Yxstaby in close collaboration, with one designer from each team working on every piece. “The IKEA designers and the product developers are also gamers, so they already know the needs and the requirements of a gamer in terms of function and comfort,” she shares.

But Yxstaby isn’t only for gamers. Castillo explains that each piece was designed with non-gamers in mind, too. “They are furniture suitable for any home,” she says. That’s classic IKEA: practical design that fits into everyday life.

The Yxstaby line combines Xbox’s 25 years of gaming insights with IKEA’s 80-plus years of life-at-home expertise and real-world home visits. For gamers in the Philippines, the collaboration is all the sweeter thanks to IKEA’s accessible pricing.

For someone who loses hours to Animal Crossing and Pokopia and resurfaces achy and twisted like a sad pretzel, Yxstaby feels like a long-overdue (and well-deserved!) upgrade. It proves that gaming furniture doesn’t have to be all dark colors and steel: it can be comfy, clever, and warm enough to belong in any home. I think it’s time to start saving up for that green couch.

The Yxstaby collection is now available at the IKEA showroom at Mall of Asia, Pasay. You can also shop for it online at www.ikea.com.ph.